Adam's Apples

Orange on orange :  These are some of the Cox's Orange Pippins that I picked this month.

Fall foliage frames the farmers market in Arlington, Massachusetts, on September 25.  ¶  Farmers brought 13 different kinds of apples to Arlington's fall farmers market yesterday.

Why review apples that are past their prime? Because I don't always know when their "prime" is.  ¶  When I bought these Kerry's Irish Pippins last week, I did not suppose they'd been off the tree for a month.  ¶  Today's small-to-medium fruits are wearing a warm red blush, including a few saturated streaks, over yellow that is tinted with the usual green, with a satiny gloss sheen.  ¶  They are modestly ribbed, one more than the other, and a bit flat at top and bottom. Small, light lenticel dots punctuate the blush. The stem is thin and the calyx is slightly parted; their aroma is faint and sweet.  ¶  So, let's eat.

You could still get the excellent Chestnut Crabapple at farmers market today, but my attention was all on Macoun.  ¶  Macoun is among the best of the vast McIntosh family, and it time is now.

McIntosh (L) and Chestnut Crabapple share center stage during the second week of pomological fall .  ¶  The Mac is here: the harvest is in full gear.  ¶  Other apples at Arlington's farmers market today: Chestnut Crab , Gala , Gingergold , Honeycrisp , Macoun (too early I wager), Swiss Gourmet , and Zestar .  ¶  And there's more.

THE BEST TIME OF THE YEAR :  This week marks the start of the pomological fall season , and the markets are swelling with fruit.  ¶    I counted 11 varieties, including fan favorites Honeycrisp and McIntosh (though the latter are probably a bit early).

VERY GOOD, SOMETIMES :  It's been nearly 16 years since I sampled Redfree, a modern disease-resistant breed that is a candidate for home gardeners and organic orchards.  ¶  I learned that there is some variability in this summer variety.  ¶  The above apple grew at an organic farm (Hutchins, in Concord, Massachusetts) about week ago (when I tasted it). These apples are different enough from my 2009 samples to justify a second bite.